Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa will keep the Norwegian champ's jersey for another year. (Image credit: Multivan Merida Biking Team)
At the Norwegian national mountain bike championships this weekend, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå once again defended her cross country title.
The race course in Melhus offered a mix of natural forest sections with plenty of slippery roots and some man-made sections with banked corners and a couple of jumps. As it had rained for most of the week preceding the race, the conditions were tricky, but the sun was out on race day and the temperatures were in the 20s as well. Dahle Flesjå lined up for the women's race as the odds-on favourite and she lived up to that status.
Soon after the start, the experienced pro moved into the lead, and despite suffering a flat at the midway point, she defended her lead and extended it to 57 seconds at the finish. Next Dahle-Flesjaa will look toward the world championships which will be held in her home country.
